SAN SALVADOR: United States’ FIFAGate target Reynaldo Vazquez has been sentenced to eight years in jail in El Salvador for employment fraud.

Vasquez, head of FESFUT between 2009 and 2010, was found guilty of improperly appropriating insurance discounts, provisions and union dues from 204 workers of a family-owned bed-manufacturing company between 2012 and 2014.

In the meantime he is also subject to an extradition application from the US over five allegations of bribery linked to commercial deals for the broadcasting of qualifiers for the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.

Vazquez, who has been freed on bail, has said he is innocent of all charges and will appeal against his jail term and $400,000 restitution order. He said: “This has all been a big surprise for me. It is not based on law.”

The New York court dealing with the FIFAGate cases is expected to hand down first sentences to guilty charges in June. Other trials are scheduled to begin in November.

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